


across the gap

by sondersoflight



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: M/M, alternate reality but in a cool way, maybe it was the turtle - who can truly know, morons to lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 18:27:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20952935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sondersoflight/pseuds/sondersoflight
Summary: “You fucking stupid asshole,” Eddie says but he is smiling when he leans forward, grabbing Richie by the lapels of the ridiculous bright yellow shirt with dancing avocados he is wearing. “I’m the fucking love of your life.”





	across the gap

**Author's Note:**

> the premise of this entire thing is "what if we kissed in another reality and it brought all my memories back and reminded me i was in love with u.... jk.....unless" or alternatively the comedy version of the butterfly effect. i don't know - there is a demon clown from outer space i don't feel like i have to explain myself. the poem at the beginning is other lives and dimensions and finally a love poem by bob hicok

_Here, when I say I never want to be without you,_   
_somewhere else I am saying_   
_I never want to be without you again. And when I touch you_   
_in each of the places we meet,_

_in all of the lives we are, it’s with hands that are dying_   
_and resurrected._   
_When I don’t touch you it’s a mistake in any life,_   
_in each place and forever._

Eddie is late to his lunch date.

His train got stuck somewhere and his phone ran out of battery and he has to walk across fucking Central Park which is just – fantastic. He is pretty sure his mother is going to murder him if Myra doesn’t do it first. He knows and understands where this entire thing is going, Eddie isn’t stupid as much as the two women in his life like to pretend he is, and he knows they’ve been expecting him to step up and ask Myra to marry him.

He’s 34 years old. He knows his time is running out, as his mother likes to so kindly put it.

And Eddie also knows that he is been trying to avoid it for so long – he isn’t sure why, he honestly does not even want to dwell on it. He is pretty sure that if he doesn’t do it soon his mother is going to do it for him. Or Myra. Maybe he will just wake up one day and be married and he won’t even know how it happened.

That is how his entire life feels either way – like he is riding in the passenger seat while someone else drives.

But now he is late, and he is sweating, and he is pretty sure he should have not worn a sweater except he didn’t know he was going to be running across fucking Central Park. He honestly feels like he might need his inhaler at any moment now, just out of habit. Some people smoke to calm down – Eddie puffs.

And he is so distracted, trying to focus in walking fast and making it to the next exit, he misses the baseball coming towards him.

It hits him square in the face.

-

When he starts coming to, the first thing, he notices is that he is at a hospital.

The familiar smell of septic and the cold air conditioner is what gives it away before he even opens his eyes. He can feel the paper cover of the stretches under his fingertips. And he can hear hushed voices around him.

At first, he assumes it’s just his mother and Myra, probably. But as he starts taking in his surroundings, he hears a woman’s voice - and he doesn’t recognize it.

“…it’s normal for these sorts of injuries to have some minor memory loss but it should go away in a few days.”

“Is there anything specific I can do?” Asks a man.

Eddie clears his throat.

The thin curtain that is separating them from him is pulled and it reveals a woman in a doctor robe and a man – that looks strangely familiar to Eddie.

“Dr. K!” The woman – the doctor says. “You gave us a good scare.”

“Eds!” The man exclaims and he practically topples over the gurney, pulling Eddie into a bone crushing hug. “Don’t ever scare me like that again, you idiot.”

“What – I,” Eddie blubbers while he tries to think on how to break free from the physco that has him on a death grip. “Where am I?”

“We are at the hospital.” The Dr. says giving him a smile. “You hit your head pretty hard Dr. K but don’t worry, everything looks good.”

The man finally pulls away but keeps his hand against Eddie’s face caressing his cheek. It’s a gesture so intimate – it makes Eddie uncomfortable.

“Who are you?” Eddie whispers.

The man laughs and then says, “I’m Richie, your husband, you asshole.”

Eddie passes out.

-

When he comes to again, he immediately opens his eyes terrified that he is still in that hospital in some parallel dimension being kidnapped by a giant man who wears shirts that have dancing bears on them.

He is lying down on a bed – that feels way more comfortable than the one he has at home. The sunlight is filtering through the white curtains that cover the huge window in the left side wall. The room looks like it has been taken out some ridiculously expensive deco magazine, a combination of white sheets and dark wood for the furniture, a huge shelf sitting right in front of the bed filled with books and pictures.

Eddie gets up – slowly. He feels dizzy and his head hurts so much, and he also feels like he might have some sort of panic attack coming on because he doesn’t know where the fuck he is.

The bedside table on the side he is sleeping in has a pile of books, a nail clipper and a portrait. The picture in it is him with other people – they all look strangely familiar the way the man in the hospital had been, Richie.

Richie Tozier.

That is how Eddie knows him! Richie Tozier is that dumb ass comedian that has been every fucking where lately. Myra changes the channel every time he comes on, complaining about how he is way too vulgar.

He puts the portrait down and walks up to the shelf, scanning the other pictures on there. There are a couple of Richie with a redhead woman, her huge smile looks so familiar. Then there others, of Eddie with some of the men that were also in the picture by his bedside.

There’s a huge portrait in the middle, of Richie and him.

They are both wearing suits and it’s obvious they are standing in a garden somewhere, Eddie is laughing, his nose is scrunched up and his eyes are almost closed. And Richie – when Eddie moves his eyes to him he feels as if his stomach drops. Richie is looking down at him, with all the adoration and love in the world – as if Eddie is fucking holding the axis of the universe.

He is going to throw up.

Eddie runs out of the room and down the hallway, pushing every door open to try to find the bathroom, and when he finally does he runs into it, pulling the lid up and retching whatever it was he ate before.

He can’t catch his breath and his gut feels like it’s gone through the chopper. What in the ever-loving fuck is going on?

A second later, he hears steps coming down the hallway and someone turns on the bathroom light. The brightness make his eye hurt but a second later, he sees Richie, crouching down and handing him a glass of water.

“Do you want to go back to the hospital, Eds?”

“Don’t call me that.” Eddie says but he accepts the glass of water.

“Don’t stress yourself Eds,” Richie says and he leans his back against the wall. “If you let me snap your arm back into place you can let me nurse you back to health even if you don’t remember my beautiful face.”

“I didn’t let you, I specifically yelled at you “Do not fucking touch me.” Eddie says and a second later his eyes snap wide open.

He feels as if someone has slapped him across the face. Suddenly the axis shifts and comes back into focus and Eddie _remembers_.

Remembers Derry and Richie, Ben, Bill, Stan, Bev and Mike. He remembers Georgie and he remembers that demonic clown and remembers the dumb way Richie used to laugh when Eddie talked too fast and how his huge glasses slid down his nose when he started sweating.

“Richie…” He says and he looks now – he really looks at the man in front of him.

Richie has grown into his looks, his long black hair is put up in a bun with a few loose curls falling down his face, he is still wearing glasses but the ones he has on are black thick frames that suit his angular face. There’s a dangly earring hanging from his right ear. He looks so different and yet his smile is still the same. The lines around his eyes when he is about to say something he thinks hilarious are exactly the same.

Eddie has missed him so much. How did he _not_ remember? How did he _not_ know him?

Back when they were kids – his entire life had orbited around Richie. He would have recognized him anywhere – and now…

He feels his gut twist as if someone were punching him repeatedly and he moves his head quickly to retch into the toilet whatever is left in his stomach.

Richie runs his hand down Eddie’s back and his touch is so achingly familiar – it brings back memories of tangled legs under the covers and of Eddie’s hands trying to push Richie underwater in the quarry.

“You need to go back to bed Eds,” Richie says, “I’m going to call the doctor again.”

“No,” Eddie coughs up, “No, I just want to sleep.”

“That is a bad idea for someone with a concussion.” Richie says and he pushes himself up from the bathroom floor. “I’m going to help you get up now. Is that good?”

“Ugh,” Eddie says.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.” Richie says and Eddie feels warm big hands wrap around his forearms and pull him up. “You are going to have to brush your teeth. I’m going to look for something comfortable for you to change to.”

Eddie nods, not trusting his own voice and turns around to lean on the sink. He is pretty sure his hands are shaking. Richie walks out saying something about how Eddie better not use his toothbrush to clean up his vomit and that is when Eddie looks up and finally sees himself in the mirror.

He looks pale, but that is probably a result of all the vomiting, but he doesn’t look that different. He has a weird scruff that he would have never thought to grow out. The white t-shirt he has on strains against his chest and he can make out…tattoos? What the fuck?

He decides not to look any further, scared of what he might find and proceeds to brush his teeth and follow Richie back to the room. _Their_ room.

Right. Because they are married.

“I think I’m having a fever dream,” Eddie says as soon as he steps into the bedroom. “I haven’t seen you since we were like…17?”

Richie snorts – he is inside their walk-in closet, because apparently, they are the type of people that own a house with a fucking walk in closet.

“Nice try cutie,” Richie says, “But that is not letting you off the hook of being married to me.”

Eddie sits down on the bed and pulls his shirt over his head, tossing it to the side. A second later, Richie walks out of the closet and hands him an old band shirt. Eddie is swimming on it so it must belong to Richie.

“If I tell you what I think,” Eddie finally says, “You are going to think I’m crazy.”

“Eds,” Richie says in that joking tone that used to annoy Eddie to death.

Eddie moves his eyes across the room again and this time when he spots the portraits, he recognizes them all. There are a few of Richie and Bev, she is so beautiful with her red hair and her blinding smile, Eddie’s heart aches when he thinks about how similar and yet how different the vice like grip Bev’s father had on her was from the one his own mother had on him.

He hopes she had better luck at breaking free of it than he has.

The other pictures are both of them with Ben and Bill. There is one of Richie and Stan pulling funny faces and a couple more with Mike. The memories – they hurt. Eddie has missed his friends so much, like a pulsing pain that he had been hiding and now that he’s found it – it feels like a broken bone.

He has missed Richie so much – he can’t even think about it.

Richie sits on the bed and leans forward, covering Eddie’s hand with his own.

“What’s wrong?” He asks, “You know you can tell me anything.”

Eddie knows this – if anything he knows that. Is like muscle memory.

He tells Richie.

Is easy once he starts talking, he feels the knot of anxiety that has been wound so tight ever since he woke up in this strange place – coming undone. When he finishes, Richie is just staring at him, as if he is taking in everything he has just heard.

“So, you were on your way – to propose to this woman you don’t even like? Like to be married?” Is what he says first.

Eddie rolls his eyes. “Of course, that would be what you picked on first.”

“Well I mean – it sounds like a terrible alternate world, Eds.” Richie says, “It makes me feel bad for you – I mean that you don’t even like her. It's sad I'm not even your hot little side piece in this scenario considering how much- “

And surprisingly, Richie stops himself.

“Considering how much?”

“I just think it’s sad even in an alternate reality, that you had to go without it for so long – considering how much you like it.”

It takes a second for Eddie to realize what _it _is referring to. Once he does, he feels his cheeks flare up almost immediately.

“Are you trying to tell me that I’m easy?” Eddie snorts. "For your dick?"

“Well,” Richie says, and he bites his lip to stop the laughter. “No, it’s just. You really enjoy it. I just think it’s sad.”

Eddie can’t imagine it. Obviously, he has entertained the idea of sex – he knows he will eventually have to, possibly. But it’s something that makes his throat close up and his hands shake, it’s not something he’d imagine he’ll enjoy.

Richie just laughs and pulls him into a hug.

-

Ben calls the next day.

He talks for a long time with Richie – Eddie can hear from the other room the muttering and whispering, and he doesn’t have to wonder who they are talking about. When the conversation is done Richie tells him that Bev and Ben are arriving the next day to visit.

It’s strange to be stuck in this place where he can even trust his own memories. He isn’t sure – well he isn’t sure about anything really.

And Richie is still just as Eddie knew him – making lewd jokes and talking circles around himself when the conversation is been over for ages. But he is also patient and loving – and the way he looks at Eddie is – just too much.

But he finds himself wondering if Richie ever looked at him like that when they were kids. Eddie thinks, he ought to have noticed.

“Did I kiss you first?” He asks Richie that night – his eyes fixed on the tv.

“Yes, Eds.” Richie says. “You swept me off of my feet, though Ms. K was devastated when I had to leave her she understood her son was a hot li-“

Eddie turns around and smacks Richie on the side – making him laugh.

“I’m serious you idiot,” He says. “Before – when you told me something I remembered. So maybe if you tell me again – I will…”

“It was a day after Stan’s sixteenth birthday,” Richie says, “I snuck through your window that night and as soon as my feet hit the ground you cornered me.”

Eddie does remember- but the memory is all wrong. He remembers Stan’s birthday, they had gone biking and swimming and when Richie had taken his t-shirt off, Eddie had noticed the happy trail of dark hair he seemed to have developed over night. He remembers how it seemed to drive him crazy with – with something too close to want he knew he was not allowed to feel.

That night, Richie had crawled through his window, dressed all in black with his curly hair sticking up everywhere and all Eddie had wanted was to kiss him. But he hadn’t – he had just rolled his eyes and tucked into bed and Richie had tucked in behind it and that was it.

“Um – and did you –“

“If you are about to ask if I liked it, Eds. I swear –“ Richie says jokingly. “I married you, so that should answer your question.”

“I remember that day.” Eddie says. “Just different – I wanted to kiss you but I was just – I was scared. I ended up not doing anything.”

“Well maybe this is you living out all your fantasies.” Richie muses, “Maybe if I hit my own head I will wake up married to your sweet mo –“

Eddie elbows him in the side and Richie still laughs.

-

Here’s what Eddie learns about his life – or this life at least:

He ran away from Derry with Richie when they were eighteen. They did an eternal road trip in Richie’s truck – there is a mountain of polaroid pictures inside a box somewhere to prove it – until they reached L.A. (_What if we could go anywhere? Leave this dump and be free. _His Richie had asked him a thousand times. Eddie never knew just how much he had yearned for it.)

Richie worked three jobs for years in order to put Eddie through med school and he does not like to be thanked for it. (_Of course I did it Eddie Spaghetti. I love you. _Richie had said and the conversation had been over.)

Eddie is a doctor and Richie does stand up shows and likes playing music at parties sometimes. (_You love coming to my shows.)_

They are happy.

-

Ben and Bev arrive in the morning.

If they know something is wrong, they don’t act like it. Bev hugs him tight and Eddie says he has missed her so much and means it. Ben hugs him too and ruffles his hair playfully and Eddie realizes just how much he has missed his friends – the raw emotion of love and happiness and bravery they brought into his life.

They go to the beach – because apparently that is something they do, Eddie would never even consider stepping on a beach but. He picks out some bright red swim trucks that look absolutely inappropriate and that Richie swears Eddie picked himself.

Richie runs into the ocean splashing water everywhere and shaking his wet hair around like a dog and Ben runs laughing behind him. Eddie prefers to stay sunbathing with Bev. She tells him stories about her life as a well-known designer, but deep-down Eddie knows – she’s the same girl who used to bike around Derry with him. And she’s so happy.

“Richie told me you had a bit of an accident before we got here.” She finally says, her eyes focused on Richie and Ben that are running around by the shore. “I would have noticed either way, it’s strange to not see you two all over each other.”

Eddie blushes.

“I’m just – my brain feels a bit like scrambled eggs.”

“Yes, Richie said something like that.” She says laughing. “Your other you sounds like a very unhappy person.”

“He is.” Eddie says, because there’s no use in lying to her. “Or maybe scared.”

Bev pulls her sunglasses into her hair and closes her eyes to move her face directly to the sun. She hums a soft tune Eddie doesn’t recognize.

“Fear is a huge monster to carry around all your life.” And this – Eddie knows she speaks of this because she knows. As well as he does. “You know, love kills monsters. If you _believe_ it does.”

Richie comes running towards them, salt water dripping down his chest and from his hair and he is smiling so bright, it’s blinding. He reaches down to pick up something – a frisbee.

“Ben wants to play with a fucking frisbee because he misses his dog.” Richie says and Bev laughs. “He thinks I’m the replacement.”

And then – without thinking and out of habit he leans down, resting his hands on the arm rest of Eddie’s chair and presses his lips against Eddie’s.

Eddie freezes.

For a second anyway. This might be something normal for this Richie – but Eddie has never kissed his childhood best friend. He knows now he used to think about it a lot, but – and then Richie realizes, and he moves away but Eddie. Maybe it’s the heat or the mojitos Bev made before they left the house, but he lifts his arms and wraps them around Richie’s neck, pressing them closer together. 

Richie tastes like salt and lime, his lips are chapped and his dangly earring moves against Eddie’s arm when he leans down. And Eddie doesn’t care – that he is getting wet or that flesh eating bacteria might be in the sand. He suddenly understands why he would run away with Richie after doing this – he would not have been strong enough to give it up.

Slowly, Richie pulls away, resting his forehead against Eddie’s. He can make out the freckles that go over Richie’s nose and onto his cheeks.

In the distance Ben whistles loudly.

“Eddie! Stop interfering with our game!”

Bev cackles loudly and Richie leans down and kisses him again, laughing against his mouth and Eddie doesn’t want anything else at all ever.

-

(When they were 15 – Eddie remembers Bill had gotten a guitar as a present. Bill didn’t like it at all but whenever they all went over Richie would grab it and strum around. Until one day they’d all realized he had taught himself to play. Eddie could not stop staring at Richie’s long fingers against the chords. Back then – he had ignored what it meant or at least tried to.

When Richie touches him now, it feels as though as Eddie’s body is another instrument under his hands, once he knows how to play perfectly.

Richie had always been loud and boisterous about sex – in the way teenagers are, Eddie thought. But he is quiet during it, he lets Eddie boss him around and he complies – making the sweetest sounds Eddie has ever heard.

It makes Eddie go blind with want in a way he never knew possible – the comfort of being known and desired. It’s incredible. He doesn’t understand how he could go without it for so long.)

-

They are in bed, Richie draped over Eddie’s body and he feels – he feels content.

Richie’s fingers are crawling over his spine back and forth when Eddie says.

“You’ve been so patient with this, if my spouse hit his head and told me they’d forgotten me I don’t know what I’d do.” Eddie explains. “Probably kick them out.”

Richie uses his hand to make Eddie turn – slowly.

“I know you don’t remember – but we’ve had this conversation before.” Richie says. “I’m never going to get tired of you Eds.”

“Why?” Eddie asks, and he finds he really wants to know. “I’m a mess of issues even if I seem to be put together. Like you have to carry around a puff for me and I don’t even have asthma and don’t even get me started in my entire childhood trauma thing. And you are attractive and successful and funny. You could like – you could get anyone who is remotely well balanced.”

He realizes he has spoken faster than the speed of light again because Richie looks somewhere between confused and endeared. He also realizes he sounds like a teenager asking for reassurance from his crush but it’s just – Eddie has never done this. He doesn’t know how. 

“Are you done?” Richie says, Eddie nods. “I don’t care – I don’t want to have anyone else Eds. I want you. I’ve always wanted you.”

Eddie swallows.

“All of those things you see as problems or things that would bother me – or annoy me, they don’t. They are just parts of that make up the greatness – that is you.”

Richie leans down and presses a kiss against Eddie’s forehead.

“And I know you only pretend to be annoyed at all my ticks and jokes.” Richie whispers. “I’ve seen you giving everyone else the stink eye when someone dares to call me annoying.”

Eddie laughs and hides his face into Richie’s neck.

“I hope your Eddie didn’t go back to take my place.” He murmurs. “He’ll be really lonely. And depressed.”

Richie pulls away a bit to look into his eyes.

“Is that how you felt?”

“Disappointed maybe. I was never brave – not like your Eddie was.”

“Well your Richie is probably terrified. He must be like you – not remembering anything and shit.” Richie says biting his lip. “I was a coward until you cornered me and planted one of me Eds.”

Eddie nods and then he adds. “I don’t want to go back. I like it here.”

Richie laughs. “Eddie baby – look at me. I am the real deal.” And then he moves his hand under the covers and squeezes Eddie through his boxers. “This is real.”

Eddie laughs and presses his open mouth against Richie’s – sweet and familiar kiss.

-

“Sir!” Eddie hears before he opens his eyes. “Sir, are you okay?”

He is not back in bed in L.A. with Richie. He is lying flat on his back in the middle of Central Park.

When he opens his eyes there is a redhead girl with a baseball cap looking down at him. She’s holding a ball in her hand and looking at him, squinting.

“Sir? Do you want me to call an ambulance?”

“Um – no.” Eddie says, and he slowly sits up. The back of his head hurts but the disappointment and the heavy weight of the ring box in his jacket pocket – it’s suffocating. “How long was I out?”

The girl looks at the blonde boy that is standing next to her and then back at Eddie.

“Like ten seconds?”

Eddie gets up slowly and dusts off his slacks – his hands are shaking slightly. He can still feel the press of Richie’s lips against his own, can still see the freckles in his face if he closes his eyes.

“Are you going to be ok, sir?” The girl finally asks, putting her hands on her waist like she can’t stand to lose another minute on this. Her wild red hair peeks from under her cap and she looks so much like Bev.

“_Love kills monsters. If you believe it does.”_

“I will be.” Eddie says. “Thank you.”

And he turns around and runs out of Central Park.

-

In retrospect getting in a plane to Atlanta was not his brightest moment.

He should probably have gone to meet his mother and Myra and confronted them, but Eddie is scared. He is scared that he is going to lose his nerve, or he is going to forget again – and that he’ll never find Richie in this world and – he just doesn’t want to think about it.

But as much nerve as he has he doesn’t want to find Richie firsts. He needs back up. He needs Stanley.

It’s fairly easy to track him because Stan has apparently becoming a successful accountant, if such thing even exists. So he drains his account – because he is not an idiot and buys a ticket to Atlanta and throws his cellphone away.

When he gets there – it’s easy to get an appointment with Stan lying about being a new client. He doesn’t know if Stan even remembers – probably not. And he doesn’t know what is going to take for him to remember, but if he needs to hit him with a baseball on the face, he is not completely writing it out.

He walks into Stan’s office and as soon as he turns around to meet him he mutters.

“Eddie?”

“Stan!” Eddie says and he pulls him into a hug – Eddie feels his eyes are burning. It’s real – all he remembers. It’s real.

“Honey?” His secretary – who is also apparently his wife asks from the doorway. “Is everything okay?”

“Um yes Patricia – “ Stan says. “This is Eddie. We grew up together in Derry.”

“Oh.” She says and she seems surprised. “Nice to meet you, Eddie. I’ll leave you two to talk.” And she closes the door behind her.

“What are you doing here?” Stan says and then whispers, “Is IT back?”

“No, no.” Eddie says trying to bite down his tears. “Something happened to me. God – you are going to think I’m crazy when I tell you this.”

Stan nods signaling for him to go ahead and Eddie tells him – well everything.

It’s easy to talk to Stan, Eddie had forgotten about that too but he remembers now. It probably explains why him and Richie were such good friends. Stan is a great listener.

He doesn’t seem phased by what Eddie is saying. He looks sort of surprised, but he is smiling.

“I can’t believe you had to get hit with a baseball in the head to realize Richie is in love with you.” Eddie’s heart jumps at this. Stan talks about it as if Richie is still – but he doesn’t want to get his hopes up. “I would have hit you with it when we were kids if I thought that would put you both out of your misery.”

“I hope he still is.” Eddie says in a small voice – he tries to not let the weight of what he is done creep up on him or he might just pass out as a result of a major panic attack in this exact moment.

“Well if I agree to help you,” Stan says. “You have to promise me you won’t tell Richie his dick brought your memories back and made you give up all your life to find him.”

“That is not what I said _at all_ Stanley!” Eddie exclaims, offended. He feels the blood rushing to his cheeks.

And then.

“Also – I will need you to buy me a ticket to L.A. I’m kind of low on cash.”

Stan rolls his eyes.

-

Stan’s plan is to find Bill first – which is not something Eddie is 100% on board with but whatever. He says that if Richie get surprised and cornered, he is going to run away. So, Stan in his evil and brilliant curly head has come up with a plan to lure Richie out by using the semi celebrity status both Richie and Bill have.

The problem is – Bill doesn’t know them. And also, Bill is apparently a really reclusive author who refuses to meet fans or like do _anything_, ever.

So, a week into their little trip, and after some through digging around Stan finds out which coffee shop Bill always has breakfast at – which is kind of creepy according to Eddie but whatever – and they go and find him there.

The thing is – Bill doesn’t want to talk to them. They end up basically scaring him by following him down the street and when Bill finally turns around and grabs Eddie by the collar pushing him against a wall is when he says –

“Eddie?”

“Please do not hit me.” Eddie says. “Weird things happen when I get hit in the head.”

Bill looks at Stan, confused and then. “Stan?”

He lets go of Eddie and steps back – profusely apologizing and laughing.

“What are you guys doing here?” Bill asks “This is so weird – I bare-e-ly even – it’s like I – I –“

“You don’t remember us?” Eddie says and at the same time Stan says “We need your help.”

Eddie huffs. “Can you not be so blunt?”

“You are in love with Richie Tozier, so is probably best if you get used to the bluntness.” Stan says.

Eddie’s cheeks go aflame.

“Richie?” Bill asks. “Is he wi-i-th you guys?”

“No,” Stan answers. “We need your help to locate him. We know he lives here but it’s not exactly easy to get a celebrity’s number or home address.” And then he adds. “It might be easier for you.”

“Because I a-a-m a celebrity?” Bill asks laughing.

“I can’t believe you just called yourself a celebrity Big Bill.” Eddie says, putting his hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter.

“Well I’ve been t-o Oprah.”

“I can’t believe I’m wasting my two weeks of vacation on this.” Stan says. “We should have gone to see Mike first.”

Bill laughs.

-

They do end up explaining everything to Bill – who laughs a lot but then ruffles Eddie’s hair and says, _“Took you long enough.” _He goes along with the stupid plan because – well it does make them feel like they are kids again, running around planning to save the world.

Even if the world happens to be Eddie’s love life.

Bill ends up getting Richie’s number from his agent – which is great. What isn’t great is that getting together with fucking Richie Tozier seems to be the most fucking impossible task in the world. Not only Richie does not answer his phone ever or check his inbox – he also _forgets_ to go meet Bill two times.

Eddie hates him.

When they finally manage to agree on a place and a date – the same coffee shop where they had cornered Bill. They agree is best for Bill alone to meet him first and Stan and Eddie to wait by a near by table. By “_they_” obviously it’s Bill and Stan because Eddie does not agree to it at all but he’s outnumbered.

When Richie walks into the coffee shop – Eddie is thankful he is sitting down.

He looks just as he had before – a tall mess of lanky limbs and a curly mop of hair falling around his sharp face. This Richie though – his Richie – looks more tired, there are bags under his eyes and he looks tense. As if he is on alert all the time.

Eddie sighs.

“Seriously?” Stan says while he discreetly turns to look. “Him?”

“_Shut the fuck up_.” Eddie mouths.

Richie walks towards the table Bill is at and sits down – pushes his sunglasses into his hair and says,

“Hey man, did you punch me in the face?”

Bill’s eyes open comically.

“The reason I did not want to meet with you is because as soon as my agent told me your name – I googled you, right? I’m like why does this dude that writes sad crappy books with awful endings would want to meet with me? Which – I still have not figured by the way.”

Eddie rolls his eyes. And Stan looks at him directly and signals “_no_.”

“Anyway, when I saw you - I just got this memory of us being kids and you punched me directly in the face. And I don’t know why or when – I don’t even remember. So, I got super freaked out. But you kept calling so I’m thinking, does this dude want to punch me in the face again? I mean what the fuck right? But I’m – “

“Shut up Richie!”

Eddie must have lost control of his own body for a second because when he comes to – he is standing next to Bill’s table, leaning over Richie.

“What the fuck?” Richie says and then looks back at Bill. “Is this your bodyguard? Did you bring him to punch me? I would say I’m impressed but he honestly is like an angry chihuahua.”

And then Richie gives him that lewd smile he always pulls when he is about to say something completely inappropriate.

“I’m a little turned on if I have to be completely honest.”

“You are unbearable.” Eddie says and then, “Stand up.”

“No I’m good.” Richie says but there’s this glint in his eye now. “Who are you anyway, cutie?”

“You fucking stupid asshole,” Eddie says but he is smiling when he leans forward, grabbing Richie by the lapels of the ridiculous bright yellow shirt with dancing avocados he is wearing. “I’m the fucking love of your life.”

And he kisses Richie.

Richie freezes under his lips for a moment – and Eddie suddenly remembers he is so out of place. Richie isn’t out and he is sort of famous and someone could be taking pictures – but when he is about to pull back, Richie moves his arms and holds Eddie’s face between his hands, kissing him deeply except it’s even better than before.

This is _his_ Richie.

When he pulls away – Richie rests his forehead against Eddie’s and without opening his eyes he whispers,

“Eds?”

Bill is staring at them he looks endeared, but he also looks kind of scared.

“Richie – you idiot.” Eddie says and he leans forward kissing him again.

He can’t let himself think – of everything he’s missed. Of Richie’s dumb jokes and the freckles on his shoulders and the tickle spot he has on his left rib. Of how having all of Richie’s attention on him all the time felt like staring directly at the sun – something forbidden he wanted so much.

And he is glad he was sent back from whatever the other place was – that Richie deserved his Eddie, two happy kids that had grown around each other. Eddie wanted this – wanted his Richie to grow old with.

“I’ve missed you so much.” Eddie half whispers against Richie’s lips and Richie laughs and kisses him again and he can’t ever believe he feared anything. Not with Richie sighing under his lips.

“That was so fucking dramatic.” Stan who in the midst of Eddie’s great romantic gesture has approached them says. “I honestly cannot stand you both.” 

They both flip him off mid kiss - which is romantic as shit.

“You are not allowed to use this as an ending for one of your books Billiam,” Richie says without moving his eyes from Eddie’s face. “Or I am suing.”

“Bee-e—p Beep Richie.” Bill says, but he is laughing.

-

(They do end up getting photographed because it _is_ L.A. and everyone owns a camera.

Two months after they’ve found Bev she gifts them a t-shirt with one of the pictures stamped on it, Richie and Eddie kissing desperately in the most awkward position while Bill looks at them adoringly in the background and Stan stands behind them rolling his eyes.

Richie calls it a perfect family picture and refuses to stop wearing it when they all hang out.)


End file.
